Broship
by lilagrace2011
Summary: The high school versions of Barney, Robin, Ted, Marshall, and Lily. An AU of if they had met back in high school as opposed to their twenties. Robin's stepdad takes on a client with a troubled son who just happens to change Robin's life...
1. Chapter 1

Hey! This idea came to me so I thought I'd put it out there and see if there's any interest. It's about the high school versions of Barney, Robin, Ted, Marshall, and Lily. An AU of if they had met back in high school as opposed to their twenties. Let me preface this by saying Robin and Marshall are step-siblings (Robin's mom married Marshall's dad who was her divorce lawyer), Lily is a popular cheerleader, Ted is the homeschooled guy that's starting Preston Academy, and Barney is new too but for some illegal reasons. They're all high school juniors.

Sometimes it Just Happens

"My husband's tied up in traffic, maybe we should postpone this." Mrs. Erikson stated flatly.

Robin giggled from across the table where she was working on geometry. Her mother had about zero ability to disguise her true feelings towards people. That was one of the few attributes they shared. Like how she couldn't hide how much she despised being the new guy, Ted's, personal tour guide. Why? Because she was the junior news anchor for Preston Academy's student news station? Why couldn't that snotty, stuck-up cheerleader Lily Aldrin handle Ted. It was so obvious Ted was coming onto her.

Her thoughts drifted back to earlier that morning at the little scene he made for the benefit of all their classmates:

_"What are these for Ted?" Robin had found Ted standing at her locker, looking way to eager for so early in the morning. In his hand, he was holding out what must have been a dozen red roses._

_"I wanted to thank you for everything!" he gushed, thrashing them forward at her._

_"What?"_

_"You're everything I've been searching for my whole life and knowing that you feel the same way!" Ted spun in circles. Attracting literally all of everyone's attention in the universe._

_"Ted this can't happen..I thought I made myself super clear." Robin could just sense Ted was not getting the message by the way he was staring at her. Quickly she grabbed those weeds and shoved them into her locker just as Lily and her hot gossip crew turned the corner._

Unfortunately, Ted continued behaving clingy and flirting with her every chance he got. It was like he imprinted on her just because she was the first girl he met at Preston and now she was like literally branded the future mother of his children or something else equally as creepy. Not that there was anything wrong with him per say... he was cute enough. He was the tall, dark, handsome guy that could actually see beyond his own reflection in the mirror.

Robin tried to clear Ted from her mind refocusing on her mom's conversation.

"I would prefer to wait," their guest, one of her father's clients returned. Some people gave orders and some people took orders it was apparent this woman fit into the former class. Robin's step-father was a high-profile public defendant. Sometimes taking on client's probono if the case interested him particularly, but his fortune was made off people like Miss Stinson. Wealthy people plagued with chronic legal troubles.

"He's been so busy with the corporate financial account lately. You know how it goes." Mrs. Erikson struggled to be pleasant albeit condescending. She was always being partly condescending.

The door opened and Robin's older step-brother Marhsall walked in tossing his football gear aside. "Need this cleaned for Saturday. And Robin why has some guy named Ted been texting me _all day_."

"I can't stand him. Couldn't give him my number." Robin shrugged.

"Yeah I figured you'd know about it. Well I don't need this, handle your own problems Robin!" Marshall yelled angrily, slamming his phone onto the counter.

"Kids go upstairs and play" Mrs. Erikson instructed in an exasperated tone, shooting the pair a warning glare.

"Forget it" Marshall said, quickly sending a text that would put an end to his little sisters annoying behaviors. _hey teddy bear sorry I took all day getting back 2u. ur the sweetest! Want to go to the football game tomorrow? xoxoxorobin;) _"It's been resolved."

"Keep the lawyer verbiage to yourself!" Robin called running passed him and slamming the door behind herself for effect.

Barney's POV

Two girls sat smoking, clouds of gray dust wafting around them. One was strikingly gorgeous with long mahogany hair and mocha eyes. She had faded black jeans with slight tears and a white and black tank top. She roughly tapped out her cigarette on the brick wall she was perched on outside. The other girl was wearing a crimson apron with MacLaren's written in white calligraphy.

It was getting late and Barney was waiting on his mom at some lawyer's place. She got held up for some reason and he didn't have the patience to wait at the library where she begged him to complete some school assignments.

"Hi there" Barney called once he caught her gaze.

Robin's POV

The way the blond haired, blue-eyed sexy guy was eyeing her was unnerving.

"Hey yourself!" Robin's friend from private school, Victoria, giggled.

"I'm Barney."

"That's nice" Robin replied.

"Rude much Robin?" Victoria admonished. "I'm Victoria" she stuck out her hand flashing French manicured nails. They were her pride and joy and she always had her nails done to perfection; Robin didn't need to be reminded how critical this was to her "profession" as a waitress.

"Great to meet you Robin and Victoria" arching seductive eyebrows.

"We're not interested" Robin said bluntly.

"I'm in no way propositioning either of you only a cigarette" Barney explained himself, gesturing at Robin's cigarette.

"Oh" Robin said, feeling a slight bit disappointed.

"Can I get one?" Barney asked again.

"Here just finish mine" Robin said placing it in his hand. "I'll call you after work Vicky" she said still locked with Barney's gaze. She looked down at her hand where she'd brushed it with Barney's, it felt funny. What was wrong with her?

"K" Victoria responded.

"Victoria, back inside we're starting another rush." Carl stuck his head outside, beckoning Victoria inside.

"On a Thursday? What's with people? Some of us still have homework and want to see Grey's Anatomy."

Robin laughed. She knew Victoria had high aspirations of becoming a neurosurgeon but her study ethics were well under par and normally the first thing to be sacrificed if the opportunity for a rondeveau with a new prince charming popped up.

"That's right Robin, laugh it up" Victoria whipped back her hair and spun around in a circle. "Bye, Barney nice meeting you. I hope fate has future plans for us" she winked. Robin rolled her eyes. Victoria was too much with her fairytale endings and grandiose expectations. But they were still best friends since fifth grade when her father abandoned her and her mom and they moved to New York to become an insta family with Marvin and Marshall Erikson. Marvin had been her mom's divorce attorney. Victoria had been the only one there, it was that simple. Only she managed to get herself kicked out of private school and now only got to hang out with Vicky on evenings and weekends.

"You're in love with her, aren't you" Robin asked after Vicky went back inside, although it was more of a statement. "It doesn't take her long to get guys wrapped around her little finger."

"Really? I didn't notice" was his reply.

"Come on Barney" Robin pressed. She stared him in the eyes, yet even with her best journalistic instincts activated she was not detecting dishonesty.

"Come on where?" Barney asked his eyes glinting with rebellion.

Robin shook her head. "Forget it."

"I can't now, not when there's a chance for shall we say something legendary" Barney winked.

"Seriously" Robin snorted with laughter. "I guess I can show you around."

"Great" Barney held out his hand. Robin rolled her eyes feeling her heart skip about a million beats in that one second.


	2. Chapter 2

Hey everyone! Thanks so much for all the positive comments and following this story. I'm sorry it took so long to update but I'm also in nursing school this summer and that keeps me busy! This is currently my favorite couple to write because they seem so perfect together & it's pretty rare to have a couple with on and off screen chemistry like they have. Please read and review!

"That was so genius, I can't believe we beat those kids!" Robin laughed collapsing on the steps outside Laser tag universe where she and Barney had just spent the past couple hours annihilating an unsuspecting group of kids.

"Yeah but in their defense they were only in junior high" Barney said, feeling the remnants of adrenaline coursing through his veins.

"Right but they had us outnumbered two to one, that more than makes up for any handicap they had!" she pointed out brazenly. Truthfully, Barney was the best laser tag partner she ever had. She'd gone with other friends Victoria, her sister Katy, hell she'd even dragged Ted along but no one had complemented her just right before.

"Geez I never knew girls could be so competitive. Kind of hot" he responded appraisingly.

"Oh yeah?" Robin smirked. "How about we celebrate with some scotch?"

"Have you been holding out on me Scherbatsky?"

"You'll see" Robin explained hopping up from the stairway.

"In that case, lead the way."

It started drizzling after walking up a few blocks and they started running to keep from getting Barney's suit drenched. Robin knew the area so well and took Barney through backyards and a cemetery from the 1800's.

"Where are we going?" Barney called, shivering seeing the tombstones surrounding them.

"Why...you don't need an inhaler break or anything?" Robin teased.

"Pshhh! No! I am way too awesome for that!"

"Ehhh" Robin responded her lukewarm response a little too betrayed by her glowing smile.

Stopping to catch their breaths, they collapsed against a huge cluster of maples.

"You see that house over there?" Robin pointed between the trees. "Lily Aldrin lives there. She's literally the classiest girl ever. Her parents are loaded. Her dad works for one of those fortune five hundred companies and her mother owns a bunch of wedding boutiques. They have this sprinkler system that even turns on in the rain! The only catch is she's afraid of ghosts and look where they live...so her life's got to be like a living hell right?"

"I don't know ghost issues? I'm more into girls with daddy issues" Barney rubbed his hands together sinisterly.

"Really" Robin asked caught a little off guard, briefly wondering if she fit into that class. Like if there was some qualifying criteria...

"and where's this sprinkler action Robin?" Barney went on.

"You're an idiot. They're on timers of course" Robin rolled her eyes and ran towards the expansive backyard complete with a small lake, tennis court, and garden house. Suburbia was so different from what Barney was used to in the city crammed with people everywhere. The voices in his head were telling him to chase this girl.

Robin started dancing around just as the sprinklers emerged from the ground and began spraying fountains of water everywhere. She was getting soaked to the skin but laughing like it didn't matter. Barney hesitated his good suit would be well...totaled.

But then lightning cracked the sky and he ran out to her. "Robin! This is crazy, you're going to get electrocuted."

"Like you would care" Robin said "Besides I highly doubt I'm on the universe's hit list." Lightning flashed again and thunder rumbled above them.

"So what you honestly expect me to dance in this chick's yard like nobody's watching?" Barney demanded as the rain came crashing down enveloping them in torrents. This would all have made a lot more sense to him if he'd known the whole back story of Robin's short-lived Canadian pop star career. Further down his life timeline, he'd briefly become addicted to youtube videos of fourteen year old Robin rocking "Let's go To the Mall" and "Sandcastles in the Sand".

"No Barney we're dancing like the whole world's watching" Robin beamed.

"And show you all my best moves? I don't know if you're ready for that" Barney stalled deliberating.

"As if you have any that will actually impress me."

"Ohhhh. Two words Robin. Challenge. Accepted." he says this as he attempts to whip his suit coat off smoothly but ends up making a mockery of the move. "May I have this dance?"

Robin shakes her head giggling at his suit obsession and finding it ridiculously hot all at the same time. Further down her life timeline, her reaction to his then perfected strip-tease remains unchanged. "You are such a hot mess!" she yells through the rain starting to sing:

"The chills that you  
Spill up my back  
Keep me filled with  
Satisfaction when we're done  
Satisfaction of what's to come"

"C'mon sing your face off babe," she coaxed Barney.  
It felt like a defining moment. Like a personal challenge from Robin to him. A surge of adrenaline overtook him and he sang the next verse throwing the lyrics right back at her, testing her to see how bold she wanted to take this:

" I couldn't ask for another  
(I-I-I-I-I I)  
No I couldn't ask for another  
Your groove I do deeply dig  
No walls only the bridge  
My supperdish, my succotash wish  
Sing it baby"

He reached out for her hand and spun her in a circle. Still singing:

(I) I couldn't ask for another  
(Uh-huh uh-huh)  
(I-I-I-I-I I)  
No I couldn't ask for another

Groove is in the heart  
Ah-ah-ah-ah  
Groove is in the heart  
Ah-ah-ah-ah  
Groove is in the heart  
Groove is in the heart  
Ah-ah-ah

At some point their two voices fused into one as they became completely enamored with each other. Living it up like there was no tomorrow. As the song faded he stopped inches away from her face. For a moment time stood still and it felt like a lifetime in one second.

"What are you smiling about?" Robin asked breathlessly.

Barney leaned in, letting his lips graze across hers tentatively. Robin wrapped her arms around his neck savoring the taste of his perfect mouth on hers.

When they finally made it back to Robin's front porch, she paused, "Here we are." She smiled up at him and started wringing out her shirt flashing Barney some skin by accident.

"Yeah here we are. We would have been here sooner if someone hadn't desperately needed to spike her blood sugar." Barney added, referencing their pit stop for ice-cream cones. _"Who eats ice cream after it rains, when they're soaking wet, and who whooo orders butterscotch and calls it scotch?" _ he'd asked, completely blown away. _"Uhh clearly I do and you can just shut your mouth unless you want your precious suit having a taste of scotch too" Robin had responded in her typical sassy sense of humor._

"Haha sorry I kept you from all your important engagements" Robin replied giving him a light shove.

"I didn't mind." Damn she was beautiful.

"Why are you just staring at me? I don't have ice-cream on my face or anything" Robin asked, breaking the tension by wiping feverishly at nonexistent ice-cream.

"Robin" Barney leaned in to kiss her it was like a magnetic force so great he couldn't have stopped it if he wanted. It wasn't even the typical conquest driven move he'd normally make, it was just there as if it had always been there between them. Robin shivered a little as Barney put his hands on her waist, he was so close her wet hair was dripping on his dress shirt. Then suddenly they were kissing just like it was always meant to be. Robin felt like she was under some spell that would never be broken.

"Robin! There you are hurry up inside. It's freezing out here!" Robin's mom called, swinging the door open and suddenly they had an audience. An audience that seemed like they'd slept through everything leading up to the present moment. Robin vaguely wondered if her mom had even realized she left their house at all.

"Barney I thought you were going to wait in the library. In the library! Do you know what you're doing to me" the dishwater blond woman hissed exasperated.

Barney looked a bit shell-shocked. "something came up" he mumbled stumbling back away from Robin. He tasted butterscotch on his lips.

"What was it this time?" his mom asked rhetorically folding her arms over her chest. Robin and her mom were watching him and he came up blank.

It was at that same moment that the realization struck Robin that this must be Barney's mom, the same woman that her own mom had been giving a hard time to earlier.

"I'm waiting" his mother prodded.

"Loretta this is Robin. Robin, Loretta" either Barney hadn't put the pieces together or he didn't care about the fact that it was painfully obvious that his mom, Loretta, was the client of Robin's step dad.

"Hi" Robin said.

"Nice to meet you. Again." Loretta said cordially to Robin. "I'll be in the car. Hurry up!" she said turning to Barney and pulling keys from her purse. She was fuming Barney noted. Which probably meant the next four hours would just about kill.

"You call your mom Loretta?" Robin asked, raising an eyebrow "I bet you were a precocious child."

Barney shrugged causing Robin to smirk at his nonchalant boldness.

"Right strong silent type I get it" Robin surmised.

"So do you " what Barney asked himself. Have a phone number? Have a boyfriend? Get up to Manhattan much? Want to run away together? Loretta honked the horn belligerently.

"You planning on moving in?" Robin teased, locked in her position at the door. Her mom had gone back inside. She was personally in no rush though. Even the thought of looking at Barney's eyes light up again would be worth standing out all night in the rain.

Barney shook his head. His blond hair flipped water in his eyes.

"You're in trouble right? That's why your mom had the meeting with my step dad."

"Very perceptive. I bet you get straight A's"

"Did you get in a fight?" Robin pressed for details.

"Why?"

"I think that's kind of hot" Robin explained.

"Yeah the worst fight, lucky for plastic surgery I guess saved my face" Barney decided to omit the real reason for his legal issues was getting caught altering grades in the school intranet system in exchange for money and other perks. Following a brief interlude with the twenty-something guidance counselor secretary, Barney had gained pass codes and access then slowly built a little following of athletes that needed academic boosting. Only problem was once rumors started surfacing, he was pressured into taking more jobs, and scholarships had been awarded based on his actions...so now he was seriously doomed and probably going to be expelled.

"Right" Robin walked over to the edge of her porch and kissed him, "if it helps," she smiled "sometimes our best decisions are the ones that don't make any sense at all, some guy I know told me that."

"A guy that talks in one-liners" Barney winced, "sounds like a red-flag to me, if I was you I'd maybe stay away from that loser" he advised being uncharacteristically territorial at the mention of another guy...for all he knew could've been her dad.

"Ruining the moment Barney" Robin scolded, playfully smacking his chest.

"Ice cream paws off the suit Robin" Barney intercepted her hands away from his suit, but for some reason held on.

"Hey look a rainbow!" Robin said pointing at the sky exuberantly.

"Legendary!" Barney smiled at her.

"Exactly" Robin agreed.

His mom honked the horn again impatiently and started backing down the drive, forcing Barney to run after her. Robin watched him go, sadly enough, for having only known the guy one afternoon.

Barney was sad too, "wait stop the car" he ordered his mom as they were starting down Robin's culdesac.

"Barney, no! Try to contain yourself five freakin minutes!"

"Noooo" Barney opened the car door and jumped out, falling the ground and hitting the pavement hard from the velocity shift. He staggered up. "Robin!"

She was waiting at the edge of her driveway blown away. "Barney what?"

"I needed to uhhh" as soon as he actually made it to her he realized he'd left all his confidence back in his mom's car. Who was currently barreling backwards up Robin's street.

Robin nodded, "I know you forgot your suit jacket. Here. I figured you had like a million soo"

He stared at her. "Uhh thanks" he hesitated "thanks Robin but you know maybe uhh I'll leave it with you."

"Are you sure?" Robin blushed.

"Barney you better start minding me better if you want to live til tomorrow" his mom had backed up to where they were standing.

"Yeah... whatever like you said I probably have a million" he kissed her cheek. She smiled and he got back in the car. It was the best feeling in the world.

************And that guy Robin's talking about would be Ted. The next chapter is going to fast-forward in time about a month and we're going to see the Barney/Robin/Ted triangle emerge. There should be about 5 chapps in all then maybe a sequel but I want to finish this part before going back to school. As always comments r appreciated:)*******************


	3. Chapter 3

Hi readers! First off, I am so happy to have some new followers for this fic. I'm glad you all are liking it and I also appreciate the comments:) So about Robin & Barney's kind of whirlwind romance. Obviously, it happened fast but I pictured it as Barney's version of a ONS in high school. Plus teens tend to be more uninhibited & in the moment so I don't necessarily think as adults they would hit it off quite so fast. Plus I wanted to make sure BRo had obviously fallen for each other for this chapter to be effective. Anyway enjoy!

Chapter 3

Barney's POV

Over Spring break, Barney moved from his deluxe high rise apartment in Manhattan that he shared with his mom into a colonial in the suburbs. More specifically, the colonial of his former childhood best friend, Ted's, house. Ted was the kid he'd shared his first birthday party, sleepover, and game of in-the-dark street tag with; also, the kid that he had his first fight with and told his first secrets. A long time ago, their dad's were fraternity brothers and so Ted's dad obliged to watch him the rest of the school year as Barney was currently expelled from his own school. His mom had not seen any necessity in triggering "Barney's separation anxiety" by escorting him herself; instead she had him delivered in their private limo. Just one other luxury Barney would have to do without while living a Ted's.

"Is it weird all these houses look like over-sized doll houses?" he'd asked Ranjit, their personal driver as they neared Barney's new home.

Ranjit nodded, Barney wasn't exactly sure on the extent of his English vocabulary.

"Thought so" Barney rested his head against the tinted windows, observing a world that couldn't see him.

The day before Barney was supposed to begin classes, Ted's dad gave him the longest lecture of his life. All about how, as his stand-in father, he was going to see to it that Barney was being completely responsible with his court ordained community service, over prepared for school, a contributing member of the family..." You get the picture.

"You better get all that straight or you won't last a day here" Ted's father advised sharply glaring down at Barney.

"Gotcha. Glad I got all that to look forward to" Barney saluted behind his back as he left the room. He then pulled the one photo he had of his own father from his duffel. It sucked he was a foreign correspondent and they never had quality time.

Ted walked into the room texting away. Barney had been gone plugging away at his community service sentence so he hadn't seen Ted around much.

"What up?" Barney nodded.

"Hey dude" Ted punched in a few more keys on his phone, and then sat in his swivel chair by a desk littered with model homes and buildings. Finally, he made eye contact. "So you want some advice on tomorrow bro?"

"Okay"

"The main thing is, how should I put this" Ted hesitated wanting to find the proper words "I guess you're used to living pretty hard and fast, huh?"

"Is there another way?" Barney laughed cavalierly.

"Look, unless you want to burn hard and fast you better observe the social dynamic a few days before you try to make a bunch of waves dude. People are pretty stuck in their ways and stuck on themselves around here."

"Ted really, you don't need to worry. I make friends everywhere. We move all the time, it's fine."

"Famous last words" Ted looked worried. "Remember, I was just the new guy here a couple months ago. The outsider. It sucked."

"And now look at you running the show."

Ted fiddled with one of his architecture projects, something made him feel like Barney's situation was different and his overconfidence was a bad sign.

Barney's POV study hall day 1

"Nobody watches the study hall news here." Grant stated, protesting the teacher's insistence upon making everyone quiet down for the school news program.

"Yeah, here we call it the study hall snooze!" his twin brother Drew agreed slamming his desk.

"What up!" Barney raised his hand in a fist bump, but then the news started and Robin was talking about the upcoming student government elections. ROBIN!

"...elections are just around the corner. The candidates will be announcing their platforms and debating at the school assembly tomorrow morning."

"Wow" he smiled enthralled, trying to fathom how he could get so lucky. This was totally worth getting expelled from Eagle View Prep.

"We should cut that shit" Grant said, referencing the assembly Robin continued to read her prompt about.

"Oooh good call. Hey look it's good ol' Teddy bear!" Drew announced.

"The next thing on the agenda is football tickets. They will be selling for $3 during all lunch periods. Please buy your tickets and flash your school spirit." Robin began forcing a cheerful smile. Barney was instantaneously captivated.

"Hey Theodore why you late?" another guy, Luke, called out.

Ted handed the teacher a pass and she smiled pointing at the television signaling he should sit and watch quietly.

"Hey pooh bear, Luke asked you a question!" Drew said loudly and was promptly shushed by the teacher holding her finger against her lips as if it was glued there.

"That's my girlfriend. Isn't she awesome?" Ted asked Barney, nodding towards the screen, as the news ended.

Barney stared, out of all the things Ted could have possibly said that was pretty much the worst.

"No kidding? You and Robin?" Barney asked, his voice catching.

"What you know her?"

Barney stopped short. That was putting it mildly. She was the girl he was in love with. But all he said was, "Yeah sure from the news."

"Oh right, duh, well come on you can meet her in person. She's awes-"

"Awesome, right I heard." Barney finished.

"Sorry, it's just we're practically engaged" Ted beamed sheepishly completely missing the edge in Barney's voice.

Robin's POV

"Hey, there's my girl! Robin there's someone I want you to meet" it was right before language arts and Ted met her like always outside the AV office. "Robin this is Barney" Ted wrapped an arm around Robin, scooping up her notebook in his chivalrous manner.

Robin took one look at couldn't breathe. Barney was looking right back with the same miserable expression, probably due to the thought of her and Ted as a couple. Even though Robin couldn't help getting lost in Barney's bright blue eyes and dream about kissing him. And she was not that type. If anything she was the love them and leave them type of girl, the very second she detected an ounce of her own uniqueness was in jeopardy she was already gone.

"He's my best friend from when we were little kids...my bro." Ted smiled confidently at Barney. "He's finishing the school year with us. Isn't that great? This is going to be legendary! Right Barney?"

Barney nodded, uncharacteristically speechless.

"Hi" Robin blurted out in a squeaky voice just because Ted was staring at her expectantly for some normal welcome. But really she wanted to explain, something along the lines of I needed to date Ted because I couldn't get over you. After that one day, there was this massive abyss that was never going to heal on its own.

Barney nodded in her direction.

"You'll have to excuse Barney; he can almost never focus on just one girl. But then again that's all part of his charm." Ted blathered on totally oblivious.

"I'll bet" Robin sensed Barney checking her out from the inside, trying to gauge her feelings. Then two events occurred. Luckily, the bell rang. Unluckily, Ted leaned in to kiss her at that same moment. As soon as their lips connected, Barney punched the locker he was standing next to reflexively. It was so loud and hard that the door swung open on impact and Ted jumped back away from Robin.

"What the hell man?" Ted demanded a little shocked at Barney's locker beating.

"Uh the combination wouldn't work" Barney explained grimacing and palming his wounded fist.

"That's not even your locker though" Ted said confused.

"Oh right."

"And you're bleeding" Ted observed.

"Oh right, better go to the nurse" Barney took off as if one more second of Ted loves Robin was going to make him spontaneously combust.

"It's the other way" Ted called, but Barney was already washed away in the sea of students milling through the hall. Ted shrugged like this was no big deal.

"Come on we don't want to be late" Ted grabbed Robin's arm to escort her.

"Uh… actually I feel like I'm coming down with something. I think I'm going to go to the clinic too."

"Really? Want me to go with you?" Ted looked confused and worried.

"No, no I'll be fine. You just go to class." Robin fake-smiled reassuringly before racing off in the direction Barney had gone.

"You're going the wrong way Robin" Ted called.

"No, I-I'm just taking a short cut" she responded.

Robin found Barney in the clinic, of all places.

"How bad does it hurt?" she crossed her arms standing by his cot.

"Not bad enough" Barney responded. "Why are you here?"

"I feel sick" Robin informed him, hoping it would work on him like with Ted and the nurse.

"No really" Barney pushed her.

"That is really true! Why are you here?" Robin demanded.

"I asked you first, besides you know why I'm here" Barney held up his ace-wrapped fist.

"No why are you at my school. That's what I meant and you know that!"

"Why are you here Robin?" Barney asked again staring deeply into her eyes finding it impossible to let her off the hook because there realistically may never be another chance to get the truth out of her.

"I came to say I like you! Satisfied? Is that what you want Barney?" Robin turned to leave she could wait for her mom at the nurses desk.

"Robin, wait" Barney stood up. "You can't possibly think that would make me happy."

"Yeah, well" Robin turned back meeting his eyes.

"Yeah, I get it your with Ted. And that pretty much excludes you from being my type."

Robin wanted to say something witty back, but she couldn't come up with a thing, she felt completely betrayed by her emotions.

"But I like you too" Barney blurted out.

"Really?" Robin grinned totally love-struck.

"Yeah are you satisfied?" he asked throwing her question back at her.

Robin kissed him and he kissed her back without hesitation.

"Ted's right about one thing. You're awesome."

"Ted" Robin repeated, jarred by her boyfriend's name back to reality. "We should just be friends. I think that's the best, right?"

"Yeah, absolutely, friends then..bros even." Barney agreed half-heartedly.

"Super" Robin reached out to shake his hand and accidently grabbed the bandaged one. Barney yelped.

"Wow, we're going to be bad at this" Robin said. Barney nodded.

That's it for now! Again thanks for everyone reading & commenting! And Lily & Marshall are going to make some appearances in the next chapter.


	4. Chapter 4

Hey everyone! So Broship has taken a long sabbatical and I might start updating this again. For people also reading Love Game, these are separate fics. They aren't each other's prequel or sequel or anything. And Love Game is still getting updates when I have time! However, I just started a new nursing job and don't have internet access all the time so look for that around next Tuesday.

Being new was rarely glamorous and Barney's transition into Preston Academy was no exception. Ted kept giving him advice, but really Ted just didn't have a clue. Sure he was also a newbie junior but it was his choice to start there at the beginning of the year. After years of home schooling, Ted had tested into all AP classes; his teachers acted privileged to have such a gifted addition to their classroom. Whereas, Barney was already burned out from a lifetime a public schooling. _His_ teachers thoroughly resented being put upon with yet another troubled rebel and tolerated his presence only to procure their paycheck. Not to mention all the hours of court mandated community service he still had and Mr. Taskmaster Mosby filling up the rest of his free time. At least Robin was in most of his classes, that was a major reason he had for talking himself down off life's daily cliffs.

He knew she was reporting stuff at football practice to air tomorrow during study hall news time. He decided to go check it out.

It was a bright, chilly day and Lily Aldrin was there pumping her pom poms spiritedly and shouting cheers at a perfectly aligned squad. She executed a series of cartwheels, followed by a back handspring, then raised her pom poms to the sky.

Ted was stationed among several classmates on the bleachers, staring at Robin covering the pregame prep. They were playing the private school Victoria attended and apparently this game was a big deal. Robin was talking with that guy Grant from study hall and several other classes. He was smirking, probably at his own reflection in the lens. At that second, she looked up at Barney. Her expression transformed from a bored to a glowing smile. As she followed the camera guy to the next interviewee, she placed two fingers at her temple and raised them rapidly like a gun firing. He laughed a little.

He didn't stay, though, instead he made a u-turn and headed for MacClaren's. As usual Victoria was waiting tables. "Hey Barney," she greeted.

"Hi."

"Tough day?" she asked taking in his ripped uniform sleeve.

"They just keep getting better and better," he replied sarcastically, sliding onto a bar stool, while she placed some orders at the grill.

"How's Robin?" she asked, leaning against the counter.

"With Ted."

"Not always." It was ambivalent whether she meant not always as in some day they'd break up or not always as in they currently weren't inseparable.

"Right. Sometimes she is preoccupied interviewing the royal subjects, aka Grant Branson and Lily Aldrin, aka King and Queen bitch."

"She's not really a bitch, she just has an edge. You shouldn't judge her."

"Why not? Everybody judges me."

"I don't."

He couldn't argue that point.

"Besides," Victoria continued picking up a tray of drinks, "even combined they couldn't be as egotistical as _The Law_."

"Who is _The Law?"_ Barney air-quoted.

"Marshall Erikson..our star quarterback. Even though he's a junior, he already has an athletic scholarship to Ohio State. We're playing you guys Saturday, I can't believe you haven't heard him mentioned."

Barney shrugged, as she walked away to deliver orders. That didn't surprise him in the ;east, considering everyone at school besides Robin and Ted treated him like a felon. But then something else struck is curiosity.

"How would you know anyway? I mean about what Lily's really like, you don't go to school with us." Barney asked when she returned to the counter.

She gave him a surprised glance, "Well, I did. Before."

"Before?" Barney repeated confused. She stopped what she was doing.

"That's a long story and sad -"

"Orders up Victoria," Carl called out. She got them down and added a bottle of ketchup. "I should take this," she said and he nodded. He waited the next twenty minutes, watching her rush around without really a spare second. Barney rested his head down on his arms. He didn't know what Victoria meant, but she knew a lot and was probably right about Lily.

"Barney?" Victoria whispered.

"Yeah?" he said raising his head to look at her.

"You look like hell and Carl says you have to leave before the dinner rush."

"Sure." he said standing.

"Barney, wait, I get off at 9 tonight. Come back and hang out with me?"

They hadn't actually done anything together before, "Why, what's going on?" he asked rubbing his eyes.

"I want to take you somewhere."

He nodded.

"And don't tell anybody…promise?"

"I promise."

"You invited Barney on a date tonight?" Robin repeated in disbelief. She and Victoria were immersed in their usual post-work cigarette break. "Why?"

"Jealous?" Victoria countered.

"No."

"That was a rhetorical question Robin."

"Don't waste your private school pedigree psychoanalyzing me."

"I wouldn't dream of it."

"Besides, you know he's Ted's best friend and that precludes-"

"You from making out with him? Too late."

"Stop it," Robin hissed, cracking a smile. It literally was one of those predicaments you either had to laugh or cry about. Her mind drifted back to seeing Barney after school and the way he smiled at her. The way he always smiled at her like they were secretly in love.

"What's it like?"

"What?"

"Kissing Barney?"

"Amazing."

"Wow Robin you are so in love."

"I'm dating Ted."

"Okay," Victoria conceded, "but if your life was a movie, just ask yourself, who would you end up with? That's the million dollar question."

_Barney _Robin answered without having to give it any conscious thought. She didn't say it though, Victoria wasn't getting the satisfaction of being right this time. "Get over yourself, you don't know everything."

"It's so obvious what your problem is. You're afraid to take another big risk," Victoria ventured.

"Shut up! I'm not afraid of taking risks."

"Really just cuz you got kicked out of private school for running off to California to sing in a band. Now you're gun shy."

"That was a mistake that I paid for with summer school hell."

"Yeah but all the incredible parties…"

"Yeah but the band went nowhere and I got punished all summer."

"All I'm suggesting is maybe it's time to channel your Robin Sparkles alter. She knew what she wanted and went for it."

"And didn't care about consequences or who she hurt in the process."

"Barney and Robin…has a nice ring to it," Victoria commented, "like wedding bells..."

"I prefer Robin and Barney."

"I knew it!"

"It's a lost cause though, trust me."

"You can't run away from your feelings forever, eventually they'll catch up with you."

"Yeah well just concentrate on enjoying your date with Barney."

"Aren't you gonna hang around til he shows?"

"Why? For all I know, you arranged this whole thing as a setup and I refuse to be a pawn in your dramatized version of reality."

"I am the queen of hearts," Victoria joked sinisterly.

"You're impossible."

Victoria laughed watching Robin walk off. "Tell me something else I already know!"

"You're a total head case."

"Robin, maybe Barney's worth the risk just saying."

Robin waved at Victoria before heading off. To her, there was no maybe. But that didn't mean she knew what to do about that.

At 9:00pm sharp Barney found Victoria smoking on the same ledge she had been with Robin that first day. In a way, he still sensed Robin there.

"Wasn't sure if you were coming back..." Victoria leapt down to meet him.

"Neither was I."

"Look Barney, I know I don't have any reason to trust you but I do. I've had this feeling ever since Robin and I first met you and it's NOT A CRUSH so don't get any ideas."

"Well that's a first."

"Playboy," she taunted giving him a shove.

"Owww! Are you planning to tell me where we're going or beat me up?"

"Don't freak out but it's the cemetery behind the Aldrin mansion."

"Victoria," he checked to see if she was just yanking his chain.

"_I _trust _you_. Will you _please_ trust me on this?"

"Okay," Barney walked with her to her car. It was an old beat-up Honda del sol and it impressed him she could drive a stick. He just got his license and still drove with his mom or chauffer, Ranjit. Even Ted, normally ahead of the life curve, didn't have his license yet. They parked at the end of the pavement and walked into the graveyard among the towering pine trees and maples. The moon was beaming down on them. An abandoned bike leaned against one tree and two squirrels scampered past. Even though it was only circumstantially creepy, it was hard for Barney to get over the creepiness and he hung close to her. His mind automatically ran through the last time Robin and he were there two months ago.

"Did you know Robin and I came here once?"

"Yeah," she glanced at him guiltily, wondering how he would take that. "She loves you I think."

"She told you that?!" his heart skipped about a million beats.

"No, I have a feeling, like she won't say it because it'll screw you over. You'll get kicked out of your friend's house and it will ruin your friendship."

"She told you that?"

"I just feel that way, okay."

"Wow Victoria you really feel a lot don't you."

"It's a blessing and a curse. My mind gets too talkative and the more I try to ignore it, the more it amps the volume."

Barney listened, she seemed smart in a crazy way. And he couldn't help hoping she was right because he loved her. All the way. Always. "Full moon in a graveyard, I did not see my night going this way."

"Yeah, that's why we're here though. The clarity."

Again, Barney found himself wondering if she meant visual clarity or some spiritual clairvoyance. He hoped it was the former.

"The last time you were here with Robin, she told you Lily is afraid of ghosts right?" Barney nodded, hoping she would get to the point in accelerated fashion.

"Don't you think it's strange, then, that her parent's moved into a house next to a cemetery?"

"And also what strange thing caused the other owners to bail," he deliberated.

Victoria shook her dark curly hair. "There were no previous owners. They built the house."

"Why would anyone do that? Robin told me they are loaded, why wouldn't they have picked some private gated community?" He asked astounded.

"This is why." Victoria pulled his hooded sweatshirt sleeve and pointed down at a headstone. Barney knelt down as she nodded encouragingly and proceeded to read the headstone, with a picture of an angel engraved on it. _Our earth turned guardian angel, Elizabeth Aldrin, August 10__th__ 1996 - November 30__th__ 2004.. Beloved granddaughter, daughter and sister._

Barney sank back on his knees, feeling cold. Aldrin. That was Lily's last name. This girl must have been her sister. "Her sister?" he managed finally.

"Twin sister. Identical twins. Lizzy died of a heart defect when she was nine."

A lot of things suddenly made sense. Like, that was why Lily's parents live here.

"And they both went to your private school," Barney surmised her connection.

"That's right, we were all friends."

His own school and legal problems suddenly zoomed into perspective.

"We promised we'd never forget each other. When there's a full moon, like tonight" she gazed up at it illuminating the woods, "we come here because it's like the gateway between our world and eternity…the best place to communicate."

Barney gulped, processing everything, "We?'

"Lily and me."

As if on cue, his head snapped in the direction of footsteps.

"Lily?" Victoria called.

"Yeah," came the response, followed by Lily emerging from a path a moment later.

Her jaw dropped at Barney's presence. "How dare you bring that criminal here!"

Barney didn't think it was possible, but Lily didn't look nearly as powerful without all her cheer minions surrounding her.

"It's fine," Victoria said. "Barney is cool."

"No no he's not. He's some kind of criminal. Everybody at school hates him," Lily insisted flipping out. "This place is sacred."

"Lily, Barney needs us. Period."

Lily wrapped her arms around herself, contemplating this. She looked wary. "This changes nothing at school. Don't even look at me."

"Fine. You got it," he said quickly not wanting to push her, "Does Robin know?" he turned towards Victoria.

"No one knows or cares!" Lily wailed in a high pitched voice.

He looked at Victoria surprised Robin had no clue about this side of her world. "It's just a secret, a really old secret…a few people I go to school with probably remember but nobody at your school really knows. "

"He doesn't understand!" Lily accused, her eyelids fluttering like she was close to tears.

"I do. In a way. I'm not going to say anything okay?"

"You better not because the whole point of leaving was to get a fresh start. I'm not about to have some convict swoop in and ruin my reputation."

Barney nodded. If Lily didn't want people knowing her sister died or that she even had a twin in the first place that was her call. He was pretty sure the only reason she was so invested in her new reputation was because she could be a new and improved Lily, a Lily that really never had a twin and went through the hell of losing her. And he thought _he_ was damaged. Listening to Lily and Victoria gossiping around candles made him feel weirdly like he was starting to belong though and he was grateful Victoria decided to take a chance on him.

Thanks for reading & special thanks to my reviewers and followers!


	5. Chapter 5

Hey all! Here's the new update. I'll try to get the next one up a little faster. P.S. who liked the HIMYM season finale?

"Wow! Long time no see," Lily extended a cold welcome as Quinn the cheer captain of Victoria's private school and her former school, Kennedy Prep, arrived off the bus with the rest of her squad.

"If it isn't Lily queen of the gossip scene" Quinn returned cattily. Her loose golden blond girls, petite and busty 5'5" frame, and competitive attitude made her stand out everywhere.

"If it isn't the great and powerful Quinn. Ready to cheer your guys to another loss?"

"You wish bitch."

"You sure are defensive… too bad I can't say the same for your tight ends."

"My boyfriend Marshall is going to slaughter your team in no time," Quinn announced, a syrupy smile on her glossy pink lips.

"That's what you said the last time. Why don't you back down now and save yourself the embarrassment of being wrong again."

"We only lost because Dan got injured. This time The Law calls all the shots."

"We'll see," Lily said.

"See about what?" Eyes trained on Lily, Marshall Erikson stooped down to give Quinn a peck on the cheek. She smiled broadly as Lily heard a small consensus of jealousy from her squad.

"Nothing," Quinn purred as though Lily wasn't even present. Lily couldn't help remembering the time when she, Lizzy, Victoria, and Marshall had all been friends in elementary school. She wondered if Marshall thought about those days at all, now that he was a big football star. A legend in his own time and dating Miss Perfect. Quinn. She was giving Lily this look that said she had everything and she knew it. Lily couldn't even imagine how different life would be if Lizzy had lived and she had stayed at Kennedy Prep. Would they be friends with Quinn?

"Then come wish me good luck on my performance," Marshall said pulling Quinn in the opposite direction. And that was The Law. Of course he thought of the game as his performance and he was the star.

"You don't need it!" Quinn replied aiming her perfect smile back at Lily.

"He talks about you incessantly," Victoria informed Robin on their way to meet Ted at the Preston High football stadium for the last game of the regular season. Everyone seemed to be congregating there, everyone except the subject of their conversation.

"No he doesn't."

"Did I say talk? I mean thinks…which is actually deeper than talking if you think about it."

"Doubt it."

"It's true he treats me like his therapist only I work for free," Victoria added.

"Doubt it," Robin repeated. She refused to give in to the fantasy that Barney was harboring feelings for her.

"It's true," Victoria persisted..

"Well then it's not nice to gossip." Robin said, clearing her throat, as Ted came over all smiles, "You always get me just being around you," he said, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Hey Ted," Victoria said.

"Hi you sitting on our side?" Ted asked.

"Yeah."

"Cool."

"Hey isn't Barney coming?" Victoria asked. Ted shook his head and Robin's heart sank. Maybe Victoria wasn't too far off the mark where her feelings for Barney were concerned.

The beginning of the game went by in a blur. Ted cheering at the top of his lungs, Victoria acting totally dismissive over the game as she was about competition in general, and Robin trying not to overly obsess about where Barney was. Victoria and Ted started arguing over the botched third down conversion as the game neared halftime. Marshall's team currently had possession. He was playing hardcore and it was obvious why no one in their division had better quarterback stats..

Just then, Marshall was dropping back to pass on the fourth down. Lily was in her rightful place at the top of the pyramid as Marshall sent the football spiraling down the field, The wide receiver in the end zone waiting for the touchdown. Suddenly, the girls supporting Lily lost their balance and she came crashing down. She hit the astro turf hard.. The crowd still fixated on the pivotal moment in the game, went wild as the pass was completed, scoring a touchdown for Kennedy prep advancing them further in the lead. Yet, all Marshall heard was Lily's scream. He turned and ran. It was automatic.

"And the Law executes another perfect play!" The announcer blared through the stadium. "Hey where's this guy going, wrong way buddy!"

Marshall was hurtling passed the tide of his team running in the opposite direction to congratulate Greg and him on scoring.

"Lily are you okay?" He collapsed down by the mob forming around her. She was listless.

"The Law rules againnnnnnnnnnnnnn!" resounded throughout the stadium. Applause and cheers signaled the greatness Marshall possessed as quarterback.

But none of it registered for him as he pressed two fingers against the carotid artery in her neck. The girl he used to ride bikes with and shared crayons with at school and ice cream with in the summer. The first and last girl that ever persuaded him it was cool to play house. "Lily! Lily!" He yelled her name, exhaling an enormous sigh of relief upon palpating a pulse.

Everyone looked confused, not understanding why he was so worried. It wasn't like they were related or dating or even attending the same school.

He leaned in against her ear, gently brushing aside her gorgeous red ponytail. "Everything's going to be okay."

"Marshall?" Her voice was weak, barely audible.

"Lily?! Yes it's me."

"My head …hurts." She struggled to sit up, but felt extremely lightheaded.

"Don't try to move, someone already called 911. They'll be here real soon."

"Don't leave me?" Lily begged opening her eyes for a brief second.

"What do you mean _you're going too_?" Quinn demanded of Marshall.

The ambulance arrived and paramedics placed Lily onto a stretcher. They took her vital signs and began her on oxygen as her pulse ox and blood pressure were dangerously low. Meanwhile, the band took over. The game must go on. They marched in formation around the field dutifully playing their instruments.

"I need to make sure she's alright."

"She's fine, she probably just had the wind knocked out of her," Quinn insisted.

"I hope so, but I'm not leaving her alone."

"She's not alone Marshall! She has all those paramedics and nurses who actually were trained to deal with this."

"No one she knows."

"Yeah and she knows you? What are you going to do for her Marshall? Nothing. And the team needs you."

"I don't care," Marshall watched the ambulance getting ready to depart. "Sorry Quinn but I have no choice."

"You do have a choice!" Quinn yelled after him as he sprinted over to the back of the ambulance and climbed inside. "What a dick." Quinn huffed going back to the game.

Later that night, Ted kissed Robin affectionately as Victoria pulled up to Robin's house after the game. She was sitting on Ted's lap in the passenger seat because there was no backseat to her best friend's car.

"Uhh" Victoria said, intentionally jerking them to a stop. "That'll be twenty bucks. Feel free to pay in cigarettes."

"I won't forget."

"And let me know what's up when your brother gets home."

Robin nodded, figuring she just wanted to know, like everyone else, an update on Lily's condition and why Marshall had bailed on the game.

"I miss you already," Ted whispered. Robin smiled, he was literally too perfect.

"See you guys!" Robin waved as Vicky shifted gears backing down their drive..

She was so consumed with how weird it was that Marshall had taken off with Lily Aldrin, costing Kennedy Prep an almost certain victory, that she missed Barney sitting in the dark on her porch swing.

"Hey!" Barney grinned at her.

"Barney what the hell." She said shocked..

"Wasn't trying to scare you.." he smirked at her devilishly.

"You didn't." Sitting next to him, she delivered a stiff punch to his arm. Vaguely aware that, although she'd spent the whole game sitting next to Ted, she didn't feel half as many emotions as she did right this second. It was remarkable. "Why didn't you come to the game?"

He shrugged, rubbing his arm dramatically, which Robin had to admit was hot. "Ted said you two were going on a date and I couldn't come on your date."

"Why would he say that?"

"Obviously he wants to be alone with you."

"Whatever," that embarrassed her for some reason, "Victoria came anyway."

"Awesome," he laughed at the foiling of Ted's plan.

"You missed an interesting game though. We won from behind after Lily got injured and my stepbrother decided to chase after her to the hospital for no apparent reason."

"Shocking," his laughter quieted with emerging intrigue.

"Yeah Marshall's nuts, he's lucky he already has a scholarship and the seasons over."

"Was Victoria worried?"

"About Lily? I guess…I didn't really get that either now that you mention it. So why are you here? Isn't Ted going to wonder where you are when he gets home?"

"Why would he? I told him I had a date."

"So that's why you asked about Victoria," feeling like someone stripped off her rose-colored glasses that Barney was there for her.

"Not her."

Robin choked on the night air, a renewed glimmering of guilty hope swelled that he meant her. Her heart started beating faster than her brain could think.

"You know..that foreign exchange girl Elise, that doesn't speak English. The only other person in our school that will talk to me besides you and Ted. Actually we didn't really talk either..but that's besides the point."

"I should have known.." .

"She had an early curfew though. So that's that."

"That's that? Really? Then what brings you to my doorstep?"

"I thought I'd see where the night takes me."

"And it took you here."

"No, MacLaren's."

"For Victoria."

"No, but that _is_ the second time you mentioned her name -"

"You brought her up in the first place Barn."

"Well for your information, I went for a drink."

Robin snorted with laughter. "How'd that go down?"

"Crappy. But that turned out to be for the best."

"Why's that?"

"I got us a ride for the night," he wriggled his eyebrows, producing a key chain.

"What?"

"Wanna hit a drive-in movie?"

"Do I even want to know how you acquired those keys?"

"It was easy…easier than getting Ted to fall in love … some drunk called a taxi and I got his truck for the night. Or should I say we.."

"You driving a truck? that's ludicrous."

"If by ludicrous you mean legendary."

"And theft."

"Only borrowing no one ever has to know about, when I return the keys "I found on the sidewalk" tomorrow." Barney air quoted with a triumphant grin.

Robin looked incredulous, this was clearly a bad idea. Unfortunately, based on her track record of running off to California following her older boyfriend's band at 14, this type of temptation normally proved irresistible. And tonight was no exception. "Can I drive?"

Barney tossed her the keys "as long as you share Scherbatsky."

The next time Lily regained consciousness was to the overpowering smell of anesthetic and IV machines beeping. Her sea green eyes fluttered open and there was Marshall watching her intently.

"Marshmallow…"

The sound of his nickname was so far removed from its place in their childhood he lost his head..

"Lily hey…" he stood there mulling over everything he wanted to say, but suddenly lost track of, "you're okay."

Lily looked momentarily stunned, she couldn't believe he was here. "What happened?"

"Don't you remember falling?"

"No . I feel like I just walked into a movie halfway through."

"From all the chic flics with girls losing their memory you think this would be a hell of a lot hotter."

Lily cracked a smile.

At the moment a nurse poked her head in the room. "Hi Lily. I'm Jane, your nurse. I'm glad you're awake. How are you feeling?"

"I don't know. I have a splitting headache"

"Well you're at the hospital and your parents have been notified. They'll be on their way. You fell during the football game. We have you on a heart monitor," she indicated the leads on Lily's chest.. "We did a CAT scan and you have a minor concussion so we'll keep you overnight for observation."

"Okay."

"The doctor on call will also come by once your parents arrive. Your boyfriend has been really worried, you're a lucky girl." She informed Lily as she performed a neuro check.

"Oh…he's not" Lily started correcting nurse Jane's presumption, but she moved out of the room swiftly to tend to other patients.

"You probably should go to."

"What?" Marshal asked.

"Well my parents are coming."

"So."

"They can't see us together!"

"Why not? Why is it like this with us?"

"You know why."

"I know you lost Lizzy but I lost you. I didn't want it to end like that."

"How did you expect it to end between us. Tell me Marshall, tell me how the fuck it was all supposed to end!"

Marshall was silent. He could see the raw pain all over her pretty features. He knew then why he'd waited so long to confront her because it was still this bad and there was still nothing he could do.

"I know and I knew she was dying and I couldn't accept it," Lily continued in her fiery voice.

"Just because you know something is inevitable doesn't necessarily make it easier to accept."

"I couldn't even accept that she died! I had a freaking psychological meltdown!"

"That's just your parents misconception of survivors guilt."

"Doesn't matter."

"I mean you were my best friend. When I saw you fall tonight - "

"And now you have Quinn." Lily's tone became caustic, she hadn't realized how much their relationship bothered her until that moment.

"She could never replace you."

"My parents dedicated themselves to replacing my old life, with this new one. That girl that you remember, she's just a mirage she doesn't exist anymore. She was too weak."

"You're the same Lily."

"No after she died, I couldn't deal at all. My parents took me to an inpatient psychiatric clinic 'to heal'." She air quoted. "But really it was just so I could be brainwashed into forgetting everything. All the triggers. I built this new life."

"Lily-" he stopped her, obviously he'd hit a nerve and he never meant to upset her so bad. Especially in her condition. He knew she went to a hospital and then transferred schools. He had no idea what happened in there.

"No no you're a TRIGGER too. Don't you get it, that's why I have to stay away. Go back to your life, your team, your school."

"It used to be your life, until you cut me out."

"My parents cut you out," that was true. At least they did the best they could.

"They had no right to do that. You just needed more time."

"They were protecting me."

"Is that why they moved you to live next to a cemetery? To help you forget?"

"They wanted Lizzy close."

"But they didn't want you to remember her at all. That's twisted."

"No. They knew I needed to heal without the pressure of being half a twin." Lily had no idea why she was suddenly so defensive of her parents extreme solution to her post traumatic stress.

"By erasing the fact that you ever were a twin?"

"That was only temporary. Memories are complex and deleting them isn't a perfect science. They couldn't get rid of the triggers and I started having flashbacks, but by then I was immunized against the pain because I had a new life."

"When did you start remembering?"

"When I started high school, I went to MacClaren's, I saw Victoria and I felt funny. Like we were connected." She'd already said way too much. She would never break down again. He was still important to the old Lily and there was no way she was risking her new life. "Please you have to go before my parents get here. Seeing us together would destroy them."

"Why?"

"Marshall…please."

"Fine, I'm going. But you should know I'm not giving up."

Hope everyone liked this chapter. I wasn't thrilled with it which is why it took longer to post but I wanted to update. The next chapter is going to be Barney & Robin and a little with Lily realizing she still likes Marshall.


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